Semantic Resolution to the Copy Raising Verb Puzzle

This paper aims at investigating the semantics of English copy raising constructions (CRCs) in which the matrix subject is copied onto the embedded subject. In their recent work, Asudeh and Toivonen (2012) argue that unlike canonical raising, copy raising is involved in the P-source, a semantic role assigned to the matrix subject, due to the fact that copy raising is used only in the situation where the speaker has a perception source of the matrix subject. However, this paper argues against them since CRCs can be licensed even when the P-source is absent. It also argues that they are involved in evidentiality, because they are licensed in the context where the speaker has evidence. To incorporate the evidential flavor into the semantics of copy raising verbs, this paper proposes a modal-based alternative analysis.